Pariah
by Dirgesworn
Summary: A story of a night elf raised among the tauren as a sort of outcast. Striving to become the world's most powerful shaman, will he ever find peace in the world that has rejected him? CHAPTER 6 NOW UP! Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1 A Vision

**Pariah **

**Chapter 1 A Vision**

He never really found his place in the world he had come to love and adore. Even when found as a newborn infant in front of old Fascus's tent, all others thought of him as an outcast. Never before did they have to welcome one like him into their warm abode. It was not against their teachings to accept outsiders, for they were a part of the Horde. But this time was different. The child was not meant to be among them, though his race also shared the same love for nature as they did. It was unorthodox, completely different from what they normally had to do. So for his whole live, so long as he was raised and remained among them, he would be an outsider, never to fit in with the life he would wish to have.

"Maev? Maev!"

The young night elf arose from his slumber, his back erect against the totem that he had carved with his foster father. Around him were a plethora of scrolls and texts, of which he borrowed from the shamans of the village that taught him. Since birth Maev had been taught in the ways of the shaman, constantly reading and training with his already unnatural prowess with nature and its elements.

"If you keep this up, you will be too exhausted for the initiation ceremony tonight."

"I have to learn more if I want to be an accomplished shaman, father." said Maev.

Fascus Watcher, one of the chief hunters of Bloodhoof Village, was the one who found an infant Maev at the entrance to his tent over twenty years ago. Since then the old tauren named him Maev, after the son he had lost a few years before to a raging kodo beast during a hunting party. Seeing Maev as his second chance at fatherhood, Fascus raised the night elf. Though many persecuted the boy and never accepted him as one of their own because of his race, Maev learned to live through the pains of never being one with his tauren brothers. Because of this reason and other complications of night elf growth, Maev waited five more years than usual to take part in the shaman initiation ceremony that other tauren shamans took at the age of fifteen.

"I know you will make me proud, son." said old Fascus with wrinkled grin and a tear in his eyes.

Looking from his scrolls to the clear sky above, Maev then said with a smile, "I will become the most powerful shaman in the world, just you wait!"

That night the ceremony had begun. All partook in the feast that started off the celebration. Even those from Thunder Bluff traveled down south to Bloodhoof Village to enjoy the many kodo ribs, plainstrider wings and vegetables that they had laid out before the congregation. It seemed all tauren, young and old, were warming up to Maev, for he was one of five shaman that were to be honored tonight. Surely, this would be a night Maev would not soon forget. And when the time to initiate the young shamans came, Maev was the first to step forward before Baine Bloodhoof, chief of Bloodhoof Village and son of the legendary Cairne Bloodhoof. Baine was a strong tauren, standing behind a pedestal with an ancient scroll that he could read from. He knelt down before the mighty tauren warrior, the palms of his hands firmly pressed against the ground.

"You may now recite your creed." his voice rumbled for all to hear.

Clearing his voice, Maev spoke with vigor and zeal.

"I am a child of the Earthmother. Her will is my passion, her tranquility is my comfort,  
and her pain is my fury. I will swear to safeguard the Earthmother and her children for all the days of my life, until death does part me. And should death silence me, may I join the ancestors of old to watch over her people always."

Baine then lifted from underneath his pedestal a mantle, specially crafted for Maev's size. It was woven from the finest wolf hairs, fashioned with a hood and wolf claws decorating the ends of the finely crafted mantle. Maev looked in awe at what he thought to be the finest piece of tauren craftsmanship he had ever seen.

"And now, I, Baine Bloodhoof, in the name of the Earthmother and our ancestors who watch us today, name you a shaman of Bloodhoof Village, and you shall from this day forth be called Maev Nightwatcher."

Baine then donned the brilliant mantle upon Maev's head and shoulders. It matched perfectly with the rest of his shamanistic robes, a fine color of brown that seemed to go well with the silver of his eyes and the violet of his hair. Maev rose and as he did so, Fascus approached him. He carried with him a very large totem, about the same size as Maev himself.

"I crafted this totem special for you. I made it from the totem that you and I made together. Perhaps now this will better suit you as shaman."

"Thank you, father." Maev said with tears in his eyes.

"Well? What will you call it?"

Maev looked deep into the amazingly carved totem, two magnificent wooden wings protruding from the upper portion and a portrait of a raven carved into the center. Obviously,  
Fascus did some research in the symbols of the night elves. This flattered Maev, and he could not help but tear even more.

"I think I shall call it... Ravenstorm..."

That night all slept soundly in their tents of kodo hide. All except, unfortunately, a certain night elf shaman. Before his eyes he could see fire and the earth quaking beneath his feet. His totem shattered in his hands, the splinters piercing his hands until it was painted red with blood. Then the sky rained blood. He could smell death and hear the wails of others in pain. And then a giant beast of unknown definition came and attempted to devour him whole. That is when he awoke, his totem still in one piece and the village not razed in fire and ash. All slept in their own dreams, but Maev just had a nightmare. Or was it more?

"A vision?" he muttered to himself. "But... Of what?"

After much thought, Maev decided to sleep on it. The rest of the night was peaceful, but a darkness loomed over the Red Cloud Mesa to the south, where many died in their sleep as a well known enemy lurked from the ravines to the east of them.

The sun rose against a blood-red sky, and Maev could see this as he rose from his restless slumber. He was the not the first to rise that morning, for the day after every ceremony was a day for the hunt to begin once more. Fascus had left with Baine and the other hunters of the village to hunt kodo until the dawn of the next day, leaving Maev alone with the others of Bloodhoof. That day was a very long day. Maev would constantly read of visions in his scrolls and spoke with the other age-old shamans of the village. From what he saw in his vision, nothing but darkness and destruction could come of this day.

That night clouds blocked out the moon and it began to rain. What was worse, Maev had an uneasy feeling coursing through him as he looked to the south of the village, along the road leading to Camp Narache of Red Cloud Mesa. The elders of the village grew worried because they had not yet heard from the messenger who would give his daily report of the camp's condition. The only true threat that remained on Red Cloud Mesa at the time was...

"Fire!" cried out a stationed guard to the village as he ran through it to the elder's tent. "Camp fires! Thousands of them – to the south!"

The elders were shaken by this news, and one responded, "By the Earthmother! Are you sure?"

"I swear upon my ancestors that their numbers are beyond count!"

"So it has finally happened..." spoke another of the elders. "The quilboar have finally taken Camp Narache and have come here. Hide the women and children. Assemble all able-  
bodied warriors to the south entrance of the village. We will not let these beasts take us without a fight!"

So the war had begun. The sentient quilboar of Red Cloud Mesa had finally launched an assault against Camp Narache, taken it for their own, and were aiming for the peaceful Bloodhoof Village. Maev Nightwatcher, though just recently initiated as a shaman, was more than ready to take up arms against the advancing quilboar with all his might. With Ravenstorm by his side, Maev believed that this would be an easy victory for his tauren brethren.

But this was not so. The enemies' numbers had increased twofold, and their martial might greater than any enemy the tauren had faced since their war with the malicious centaur. Now would be the day Maev would prove himself as one with the tauren that he grew to love with such a passion as to fight alongside them. The downpour of rain may have extinguished the campfires the quilboar had made, but it did not mask their numbers from the eyes of Bloodhoof Village. Their eyes leered through the darkness and struck fear into the hearts of even the hardiest of the tauren warriors. Their advances were slow at first, but then began to build up momentum as their pace increased.

"They come!" shouted a large tauren warrior. "Ready yourselves!"

As they came, Maev raised Ravenstorm onto his shoulder using the primal strength of his race, ready to swing at the first quilboar to make the night elf as its target. Suddenly stricken with a surge of bloodlust, as most shaman did in these times, Maev could not hold back his passion. He raced ahead of his other brethren, becoming the primary target for many quilboar to mangle and kill.

"Maev! Come back! You cannot take them all!" called out one of the other tauren fighters.

"I must! For my father! For Bloodhoof! For the Earthmother!"

And with one mighty swing, Maev Nightwatcher sent a trio of quilboar sailing through the air and crashing into their own. Raising the totem above his head, he cried out, "I will pulverize you!" He then sent Ravenstorm crashing into a foolish quilboar that decided to attack him, crushing every bone in its body. Maev consistantly swung his totem at every quilboar that made the mistake of coming within range. Blood trickled from his mouth and he continued to feel the bloodlust, his body overcome by the feral nature of a night elf. But after many piles of quilboar lay dead in his wake, he decided to make his body count even greater. He put Ravenstorm to the side, raising one fist into the air and the other open palmed toward advancing quilboar.

"Chain lightning!"

The sky rumbled and thundered when suddenly a bolt of lightning came down from the heavens and struck Maev's higher fist. The current of lightning pulsed through his body and then out through his right hand, sending the lightning into the swarming quilboar. One by one each quilboar died instantly by the sudden shock as it jumped from one to the other. Maev was now completely overtaken by power, his eyes wide as the battle tore apart his childlike innocence. Never before had he felt such omnipotence, such a craving to destroy all in his path.

With one final strike to the ground with his mighty totem, Maev uttered the most devastating word that any shaman could speak of to the Earthmother. A word so tainted with power that it has been forbidden by all tribes because of its fearful strength. It is of a language long lost to all sentient beings, its origins dating back to the days of the Old Gods. With this one word, Maev could sense all elemental energies quickly leave him, and suddenly the error of his actions became clear. As his spirit grew cold, he could feel the warmth of all the elements surrounding him. Storm, earth and fire, each working together in a single anthem of pure destruction, tearing apart the fabric of life and reality. And as all this happened around Maev, all he could see was the image of a colossal red dragon standing before him, weeping for the lives lost around them. It was not until Maev turned to look behind him that he realized that Bloodhoof Village had been razed in flame, the elements striking at it will all the intensities that nature could offer.

"Look at what you have done!" cried out the mighty dragon. "Only darkness can come of this! Did you not realize by your vision that this is what was to come? From this moment forth,  
you shall become a pariah to all my children. No matter the time or place, my children will seek to destroy you and end your pitiful existence. You will know no love so long as you walk this earth, which is why I allow you to live this day!"

Just then another dragon of immense size appeared beside the red dragon. Its scales were bronze, yet his existence seemed to blur and fade in and out, as if its formed was continuously altered by time and space. It comforted the red dragon, and then turned to Maev with anger burning in his eyes.

"Come, my sister. My agents and children are already on the move. We shall watch this fool's existence from the safety of my home. And you!" the bronze dragon exclaimed. "You will be hunted by all who serve my will! Wherever you go, you will only be a danger to yourself and those around you. I have seen the sands of time turn against you, young Maev, and it speaks of your own kin turning against you. So I advise you leave this moment! No go!"

At that moment the two dragons disappeared from his sight, and the standstill of time ended. Maev could feel his body grow weak and darkness overcome his thoughts and sight. And then... nothing...


	2. Chapter 2 The Hunted Exile

**Pariah**

** Chapter 2 The Hunted Exile**

Woe to the wolf, severed from the pack in which he never belonged. It is said the broken heart hath no wrath toward the ill trodden, for it never wishes to be broken again. This is true in the case of a certain night elf shaman, his whole world turned around by the utterance of one horrifying word. The moment he saw his home razed into flames and the vision he saw of the two mighty dragons, his heart sunk into a moment of perpetual sorrow. Despite the dragons warnings to take leave, he still remained among the ruins of Bloodhoof Village. Madness seemed to linger at his very doorstep, and fury toward himself raged in his mind. He clutched Ravenstorm close to his side, seeing it has his only source of comfort. The poor night elf could still feel the slight static of pure elemental energy that still remained within his totem. It would forever be a constant reminder of what he would have to go through, the ordeal of knowing he had ending the lives of not only an entire army of quilboar, but also the lives of many innocent tauren before they even knew what was happening. But this was only a taste of what was to come, of what he would have to endure for the rest of his life. Maev cried himself to sleep that night as it continued to rain.

The next morning the sky cleared and the rain ended. Maev awoke motionless, merely opening his eyes to the new day. He still remained huddled beside Ravenstorm in the open. He decided to sit where his foster father's tent once stood, of which was only a pile of ash and smoke. It was only moments after he was awake that he heard the hunters' horn being blown,  
signaling their return. Maev would have to explain to the Baine what happened, though he would certainly be punished for what he had done. Baine, seeing the remains of Bloodhoof Village from a distance, was struck with immediate horror.

"No..."

He dismounted the kodo beast from which he was riding and kneeled to the ground in mourning. He cried out in anguish with a tauren's wail. After seconds of silence, the mighty tauren then looked up with anger.

"Who did this?" he grunted in a sudden rage.

Almost immediately he saw Maev, both looking at each other in the eyes. Baine could tell, just from the look in the young night elf's eyes, the act he had committed.

"You!" he exclaimed with a finger pointed straight at Maev. "You did this!"

This remark was then followed by the rest of the hunters with insulting words such as 'monster' and the like. Fascus ran to the side of his foster son, looking down upon him with remorse.

"What has happened, my son? What could you have done for all this to happen?"

"I spoke the word, father. I spoke the forbidden word of the shamans. I am so sorry, father!"

Maev held onto Fascus like a child holds to his father. Fascus in return held Maev in his arms.

"I meant for none of this to happen!" he cried.

"I know you didn't, my son."

"Stand back, Fascus!" exploded an enraged Baine. "He is a monster! Nothing more! He has slain our entire village! Our elders are dead, so who is there to guide us? Our women and children are slaughtered, so what hope is there for the future? That bastard has ruined everything!"

"I am sorry, Baine. What more can I say?"

"You can die by the strike of my blade, you heathen!" he responded, raising his halberd high above his head. "Die!"

Baine then charged toward Maev, his vengeful eyes meeting the horrified eyes of the night elf. But just before the killing blow was met, Baine's assault was parried. Fascus, taking his spear in hand, had deflected the attack.

"You traitor! By order of my father, the mighty Cairne Bloodhoof, I order you to stand down!"

"By my ancestors, I will stand my ground against you. Now do what you must to restore glory to this village, but Earthmother help you if you dare wish to lay a hand on my son!"

Baine backed away slightly from the old tauren, not frightened, but surprised by this new course of action by the elder.

"You do not realize the mistake you have made, old friend. You would sooner die for this bastard than better serve your village? Then for this act of treason, you must die!"

"Bring it, young fool!" responded Fascus.

The two tauren then collided with spear and halberd in hand. Strike after strike they negated each other's blows, one a perfect match for the other. If normal circumstances were met,  
the old tauren Fascus would have easily fallen to the power of Baine's mighty attacks. But something was driving this old tauren to the brink of bloodlust. Something to protect. Something to love. Something he would fight to the bitter end for. The life of a son.

And as they fought, Fascus cried out, "So long as I live and breath, I will not lose another son"  
But just as he said this, Fascus finally lost his footing, letting himself get tripped by Baine's low strike to the hooves. Fascus lay there, weak from exhaustion.

"It seems your ancestors have forsaken you, old fool!" laughed Baine with pride. "Now,  
because of your treasonous actions, you too must die!"

Before Baine could even lift up his halberd to strike the old tauren down, a ancient voice echoed out from the north.

"Stop!"

It was a voice very familiar to Baine and Fascus, but Maev did not know who spoke. Looking to the north toward Thunder Bluff, they saw a tauren, seemingly as old as time itself, with a halberd of his own in his hand, using it as a sort of walking stick. His eyes were greyed from age and his hair no different. He looked to Baine, then to Fascus, and then to Maev before he stood beside all of them. Fascus and Baine immediately recognized him as Cairne Bloodhoof, chieftain of the mighty tauren of Thunder Bluff.

"Baine, what has happened here, my son?" spoke the ancient tauren.

"It is that night elf, father!" said Baine, pointing at Maev. "He has spoken the forbidden word! Despite what we have taught him, he spoke it! It is because of him that Bloodhoof Village is in ruins! For his actions, he must die!"

"No!" exclaimed Cairne. "I have seen his deeds, for I could see it in a vision I had last night. He was in a bloodlust. He only meant to defeat the quilboar that threatened to destroy our way of life. If it were not for him, we may all have been dead!"

"But still, he has broken our laws, and justice must be met." said a frustrated Baine.

"This is true."

Cairne turned to Maev with merciful eyes. He could sense the sorrow that lingered in Maev's heart, the power that he had once held that was now gone. He had lost favor with the Earthmother, his power over the elements gone. No longer could he control nature and harness its power. Because Maev now longer longer posed a threat, Cairne looked with mercy upon him.

"For his actions against the laws of our people, I hereby send you, Maev Nightwatcher,  
into exile. You are never to return to Mulgore, or suffer the penalty of death."

"No!" exclaimed Fascus. "You cannot take my son away from me! I won't let you!"

Fascus gave a great battle cry and charged at Cairne. But not only did Cairne deflect Fascus's attack, he made a masterful move that sent Fascus face-first into the ground. Before Fascus could even get up, Cairne had his halberd pointed at his heart.

"Do not be a fool, old friend!" Cairne shouted. "You may have been able to take on my son, but you will have no chance with me!"

Cairne's voice then became more calm as he said, "I understand what you must be feeling right now. If it were not for the Rexxar, I too would have lost my only son. I know that you see Maev as your second chance at fatherhood, but you must let him go. Your son or not, he must pay for his crimes as any child of the Earthmother does."

Cairne withdrew his halberd and turned away from Fascus as the poor tauren began to cry. Also, Cairne stood before a cowering Maev and said, "I suggest you go. From what I saw in my vision, you have much more to worry about than just exile from your home."

"But sir, I..."

"I said go!"

It was from that moment on Maev was banished from his home in Mulgore, never to return. Now an enemy of two dragonflights and the people who raised him, Maev fled to the Barrens. There he would remain until the true adulthood of the night elves, fifty years later. Every night he dreamed of his father, and how good he was to him before his banishment. He would also have nightmares of the two colossal dragons that threatened his very existence in the world, their agents and children constantly after him. It is because of these nightmares that Maev never spoke to a single soul for all those years. Not even the animals that populated the Barrens took liking to the outcast night elf, but that would have been expected since the Earthmother had abandoned him. But one day, the silence was finally broken.

"Fire!"

Maev could hear the click of a gun, and immediately dove down from the tree he was sleeping on that bright afternoon. The branch that he slept on was shot off only seconds after he leapt down to the ground. He steadied himself, holding Ravenstorm beside him. Looking around, he saw a small band of figures coming toward him. They were black tauren, each holding a blunderbuss and coyotes by their side, one for each tauren. Maev immediately recognized them as members of the Grimtotem tribe, black tauren known for their wayward ways. One in particular had a cross-shaped scar over his left, glass eye. He led the pack with an equally dangerous coyote by his side.

"We have him now, boys!" he exclaimed to his brethren. "This bounty Baine put on his head will let us feast for a lifetime! Now fire!"

More bullets came at breakneck speed toward Maev, but he simply dodged and ran. As he ran, Maev noticed that with Ravenstorm holding him down, he could not outrun the hunters. He had to outsmart them. But how? The Barrens are nothings but an open field, perfect for hunting and finding prey, leaving Maev at a disadvantage. But during his trip through the Barrens, Maev remembered an oasis just north of where he was. So with a little more energy,  
Maev ran to that oasis, hiding among the brush and trees before the Grimtotem hunters could reach him.

"Where is he?" wondered the scarred leader. "Spread out and search for him! He couldn't have gone far!"

Because his natural ability to meld into the darkness, Maev shadowmelded into the brush that he was hiding in. Surely, they could never find him now. But there was one factor that Maev had not thought of since the day he destroyed Bloodhoof Village.

"I cannot allow you to go any farther." spoke out a voice to Maev. "My father would not allow it. Today is the day you must pay your debt to Nozdormu."

It was at that moment that Maev noticed the night elf that stood in front of him. It was not like he was there the whole time, however. Only recently had he suddenly appeared before Maev, a gleam in his eye that showed that he was no mere night elf.

"You're a dragon. I can see it in your eyes." whispered Maev. "Then that one bronze dragon from that night... it was Nozdormu?"

"Bingo!" laughed the bronze dragon in elven guise. "Also, I have already revealed your location to the hunters. They should be here in... three... two... one..."

Just then Maev could here a click of a gun again, and saw the tauren surrounding him. They all had their guns pointed at his head, ready to fire. The bronze dragon laughed and vanished from sight, his laughter heard echoing through time and space. And as it seemed Maev's life was over, and gift from above saved him. It was only moments after it happened that he realized he was saved, but he was grateful either way.

"We be jammon! Yeeeeehaaaw!"

From the trees above a jungle troll jumped down and landed on an unsuspecting tauren hunter, putting his legs around his neck and beating on his head like a drum.

"Yah, mon! I be beating to the rhythm of a new drum, mon!"

The tauren fired wildly into the air, not seeing what was happening due to the fact that his eyes were covered by the troll's feet. The troll then stopped beating his hands on the tauren's head and then lifted the tauren with his feet and then sent him skyward. The tauren landed on the ground hard, and with that the troll shouted to the heavens.

"Tremor!"

Then a totem erupted from the ground, and with it an earthquake began. This was no ordinary troll. And again, he shouted to the sky.

"Strength of the earth!"

Another totem erupted from the ground, and the troll could feel amazing strength rush through him. With each kick he landed on the tauren hunters, they too were sent skyward and landed out of the oasis. And with the ground shaking beneath them, they could not hold their ground.

"Let's get out of here!" exclaimed their leader. "We are no match for this guy!"

And so the Grimtotem hunters fled. The troll, covered in thick leather hides from head to toe, held out his hand to lift up a sitting Maev.

"Thank you." said Maev, the first words he spoke to any mortal in fifty years.

"It be no problem, mon. Just jammon to de beat of me own drum! Haha!"

"Excuse me for asking, but who are you that can summon the totems of shamans in such a fashion?"

"Oh! Forgive me. What was I thinkin! Allow me to introduce meself." he said, bowing to the night elf. "I be shaman of de earth. I have heard of ya all de way from Durotar, mon! Ya be Maev of Bloodhoof. And I say to ya now, I be here to help ya out!"

"How so?"

"Well, I heard ya be outa favor with de elements, so I be here to help ya out. I be Lidune of de Darkspear Tribe, at your service!


	3. Chapter 3 Secret of the Wroth

**Pariah**

** Chapter 3 Secret of the Wroth**

Darkness defines the light. Without adversity, one cannot appreciate ease. Without sorrow, joy would not seem as sweet. Such is the way of the Shades, a secret organization of blood elves of whose origins are unknown and their motives unclear. What is known of these shadowy figures is that once they served as an elite task force for the Sunstrider royal family before they were banished to Draenor for some unknown reason, and just before it was ultimately doomed to destruction at the end of the Second War. They were thought to have all perished in that one great sundering of the red world, but no one knows for sure. But ever since the Legion's return to the world and the reopening of the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands, some speculate that anything is possible, even the return of the Shades and their mysteriously dark influence upon the world.

It was a dreary and dismal late afternoon in the supposedly gorgeous forest land of Ashenvale. The cherry blossoms that would normally grace the forest floor from the canopies above were now dried and dark, as if touched by some omnipresent corruption. A thick fog lay in place like a blanket that shrouded the earth in shadow. A new evil had entered the beautiful dwelling place of the kaldorei, and it seemed to creep deeper and deeper into depths that not even the boldest beast would dare tread. It finally found its way to the home of the Seer, a blind night elf priestess with the ability to see the unseen. Her home was adjacent to a moonwell, providing her with further power in her mysterious art. But she would be paid a visit this day, a day she will never forget, not in this life or the next.

The stranger stepped in with not a word and sat before the Seer during her meditation. Her ears perked as he sat, unaware of his presence until now. This surprised her. She did not even foresee this visitation. But either way, she had a guest, and the Seer was not one to mess with. Or at least, that is what she thought.

"Are you the Seer?" asked the stranger with the voice of a young man. "I have been in search for many days now, seeking your guiding eyes."

Though he was nothing but an outline to her vision, the visitor wore a white robe with gold embroideries and runes. He had a hood over his head, shadowing his face from the rest of the world. When standing, he stood no taller than his night elf host, assuming she ever sat up from her meditative position. There was, however, something strange about him, something about his aura.

"You have no aura." said the Seer to her guest. "And what is worse, I can smell your addiction for magic. Your name is Dun'athil the Wroth. You are a blood elf, one of the sin'dorei, and are therefore not welcome here in Ashenvale!"

"But you must understand, I come here for a request of you. I wish to know the whereabouts of a certain 'Maev Nightwatcher'. Have you heard of him?"

The Seer did not hesitate to reach for the sword to her right. But just as she clutched it the blood elf grasped her hand. She gasped, and the blood elf leaned his head over to her ear, whispering to her as quietly as possible, uttering three words that she would never wish to hear from an enemy's lips.

"Shadow word: pain..."

At that instant the Seer dropped her sword and wailed in agony. She held herself, attempting to ease the torrent of pain that coursed through her body. The torment was far too great for her to stand, and some say her cries were somehow silenced by one of the blood elf's spells. Tears trickled down her cheeks and she was drenched in sweat before the ordeal was over. In time, however, it ended, and the blood elf simply smiled beneath his hood.

"Now I know another word of darkness that I am very sure you are familiar with." said the blood elf as she panted in relief. "A word that you have never had to use, but I have cast upon many individuals. If you do not wish for me to tell you the word that you certainly dread to hear, then you will tell me the whereabouts of Maev Nightwatcher."

"He is in the Barrens!" cried the Seer without hesitation. "Maev Nightwatcher is in the Barrens. I saw him in my vision last night! He was found by a shaman of the earth, Lidune of the Darkspear Tribe! Just please, don't speak the word! I beg of you!"

Satisfied, the blood elf smiled and looked turned away from the Seer. She continued to cry, that is, until he turned to face her again. She froze, afraid of what he might do.

"Thank you for your cooperation, young one. I am sure that you will serve your goddess well in this life and the next. Oh! And by the way..."

The blood elf then leaned over again to whisper in the poor night elf's ear again. Her eyes widened as he spoke quietly to her for only but a moment. She gasped, and then nothing. Dun'athil simply walked away from her corpse, leaving her body there to rot. And as he faded into the fog, if you listened closely, you could hear his sinister laugh moving through the ill winds.


	4. Chapter 4 Strength of the Earth

**Pariah **

**Chapter 4 Strength of the Earth**

The strength of the earth. Few take the time to take in all the life around them, and even fewer stick around when it shows its wrath. But this is not true for the shaman of the earth, the one they call Lidune of the Darkspear Tribe. Not many know of his origins, but all those who are aware of his power refer to him as the new Earthwarder, the title once given to Deathwing before his fall from grace. Making the Barrens his home since becoming a shaman, Lidune has since fought back the Earthmother's many enemies. From the malign centaur to the ravenous quilboar he has fought all who would dare harm his home. In a way, he has fought his own secret war, defending the weak and cowing the strong.

"Here be where we start, mon."

It was a bright morning in the Barrens as Maev and Lidune walked along the golden road. It was the day after Lidune had saved Maev from the combined efforts of the bronze dragon and the Grimtotem bounty hunters, a day that Maev, for once in his fifty years of solitude, felt safe from his surroundings. This was the first time he had to use the road, since he preferred to stay away from any other sentient life for fear of their existence being in danger. Knowing that at any moment the bronze or red dragons may come after him was unsettling to him, but that did not stop him from following his new teacher down that brightened road.

"Ok... First, I be showing ya the simplest of de totems... Strength of de Earth!"

From the ground between them a totem arose. That was when Maev could see a change in Lidune's figure. His body grew more tense and appeared to be more muscular. With his right fist alone he slammed the ground and shook the ground beneath them, as if an earthquake had struck the land. Birds flew from their perches to the skies while critters of every size ran for cover. Then with a thought Lidune dismissed the totem, and his body returned to its natural self. This display of power startled Maev and made him realize how powerful Lidune could really be.

"Amazing..." muttered Maev. "And you say I too can master the method of earth totems as you do?"

"Exactly, mon. But ya got te learn how te control de earth beneath your feet. It be de essences of de world we live in. De strength of de earth... It be de peace of our minds and de power of our bodies. Without de two essences in balance, everyting be outa wack, mon!"

"What must I do to earn this strength?"

"First, I want ya te go to de east, where ya find the nesting grounds of de raptors of de Barrens. Find der eggs and crush dem wit your fists alone. Ya den must take de egg juices from de place and pour it in your satchel. Return to me when ya be done. For dis task, I will take your totem away..."

Maev grasped his totem tightly and slightly turned from Lidune. He could still feel the static elements in his totem from that faithful night, pulsing out and into his fingertips. The night elf had not parted with his beloved Ravenstorm for fifty long years, and he was not about ready to let it go just yet.

"Listen..." said Lidune in a calm manner. "I understand how ya be feeling right now. But ya will not be away from it for long. Trust me, mon. I will keep it safe."

Reluctantly, Maev handed Ravenstorm to Lidune. The troll looked into the carvings of the totem and was struck with awe. He could not believe the power that coursed through it, the hidden potential that lied beneath its surface. Maev could see the sparkle in Lidune's eyes, and he understood.

"It was made by my father. Ever since that night, I could feel the warmth, the strength of what I had unleashed." Maev could not help but wipe a tear away from the memory of Fascus. "Sometimes, I think it is really my father's embrace, watching me from wherever he may be now. It is almost like its not the elemental energies at all."

Lidune looked up and looked Maev dead in the eyes. His gaze was frighteningly serious,  
and when the troll spoke, what he said was harsh but true.

"This be not your father, mon... It be a terror dat none in dis world or any other could fathom. It be power like no other... a single word forgotten unless brought back by true bloodlust. Your father have notting te do wit dis √ so push back all dos silly thoughts! Dis is reality, mon! I want ya te think upon the real tings in life and contemplate dem. Now go! Dos raptors will be back from de hunt soon, and I don't think ya want te have te deal wit the entire family of them..."

And with that said, Maev left Lidune and his own totem behind with the realization that his father's memory may die out one day. And as he passed over the hills and beyond the trees he swore that he would make his father proud of him, whether or not he ever sees him again.

"I shall not let his memory be in vain..." he said to himself.

It was noon by the time he reached the nesting grounds of the raptors. Eggs lay everywhere, trinkets and coins scattered about with the occasional carcass that they fed on. There was an unsettling calm about the place, as if something watched quietly from a distance as he walked through the putrid lair. It was then that he noticed at the corner of his eye that he was not alone here. Clenching his fists, Maev darted to the shadows and hid in them using his shadowmelding powers. There he waited, and there he stayed until he saw his pursuers approach. They were raptors alright, twelve as a matter of fact, but they were just the first of the hunting party. Among them there was an unusually large one. Unlike the others with their violet skin, this one was black and was covered in cuts and scars. It must of seen many battles, Maev thought, and it will not go down as easily as the others might. But he had little time to think on this, for one of the raptors approached him. It sniffed the air around him, and then let out a loud high-pitched screech before Maev decided to punch it square in the nose.

The curious raptor fell back in pain, holding its nose with its talons. It cried out even louder, and all saw Maev standing there, ready to fight. The black raptor looked to Maev with a white hot intensity, and he did the same to it. He knew that before this day was over, either he or it will die. One after the other the raptors came at Maev with vicious teeth and talons barred. With a few punches and air kicks to the head, each raptor fell before his primal fury. Every so often a talon or tooth could cut him, but he could stand the pain. To him, regaining the favor of the Earthmother and returning to his father was all that fueled his wrath toward the beasts. It was not long before the twelve were all down and dead, leaving only him and the black raptor alone for the final showdown. This battle would mean the difference between certain death and regaining the power of the elements. If he loses this fight, he may never even see his father again...


	5. Chapter 5 Test of Earth

**Pariah**

**Chapter 5 Test of Earth**

It was the afternoon, and Lidune gave a sigh. Maev had not returned for almost a day, and the troll shaman assumed the worst. But as he stood, he looked over to the southern horizon where Maev had left. Coming in close there was a figure, bloody and scarred. It was Maev, and the night elf held in his hands three large eggs. As he approached Lidune, there was exhaustion in his eyes. Lidune rejoiced at Maev's return, clapping and jumping in the air.

"Ya made it, mon!" he cried out in jubilation. "Ya beat down dem nasty critters, ya did! Come… Lie down and bask in de warmth of victory!"

And so Maev did. He nearly collapsed with a smile as Lidune greeted him. The troll quickly scooped up the eggs in his arms, putting them down gently before going over to comfort Maev. The night elf was beaten, scarred, and bruised, as if he had suffered a great battle. And he did. The black raptor had laid quite a beating on him, but he managed to grasp triumph within himself. Lidune then took one of the eggs and cracked it open.

"Here ya go… Drink dis… It'll give ya your strength back."

"Why, Lidune?" said Maev as he gasped for breath after drinking the yoke of the egg. "Why did you have me fetch you those damned eggs?"

"It was never bout de eggs, mon." answered Lidune with a smile. "It was all bout de courage and de strength to overcome de beasts inside ya. I knew ya wouldn't be gettin to dos eggs in time to miss de raptors. Ya proved to me dat ya have da strength to control de forces of earth."

"So this was… a rite of passage?"

"Dat… And raptor eggs be my favorite, mon!"

As Lidune cracked open another egg and fed himself the yoke, he gave a trollish laugh. Maev, with a mixed sense of satisfaction and confusion, stood up from where he lay.

"So what now, master Lidune?"

"Now it be time to learn de art of earth conjurin. I want ya to take dis egg and crush it wit just your hands alone… Take in all de power ya felt when ya fought de raptors. Allow dat power to course through your veins, mon. Only den will the strength of de earth grant ya its strength…"

Maev laid the egg on the ground, kneeling before it. Concentrating all the power and rush he felt while fighting the raptors, including the black raptor, he sent a fist down upon the egg. As if it was nothing it cracked, although he knew otherwise it would be as hard as stone. That was when he noticed something beside him. It was a totem, similar to what Lidune had conjured earlier. But this one seemed different. It radiated a somewhat impure aura, one akin to some wicked, malevolent force. Maev grew fearful of this new totem, and as he looked into its corrupt energies, it shattered. Lidune shook his head to this, and looked to Maev.

"Dis be de side-effect of bein banished by de so called 'Earthmother'…" sighed Lidune, shaking his head. "Oh, and by de way… We got company…"

Shortly after Lidune had said this, the earth beneath them began to shake. Looking to the west, the two shamans could see massive creatures heading in their direction. They were kodo beasts, and atop them there rode none other than the Grimtotem bounty hunters they had faced the day before. With guns blazing they fired at Lidune and Maev with volley after volley, hoping to land at least one shot on either of them.

"This time we got them, boys!" shouted the one tauren with the scar on his face. "Keep firing! We got enough of ammo to last us a good week of hunting!"

"They come for us, Lidune! What should we do?"

"Correction, mon… Dey come for you. Dis be your fight, not mine. Dis be your final test… Don't let me down…"

Suddenly a hole in the ground appeared before Lidune, in which he jumped. Feeling alone and abandoned, Maev turned to the bounty hunter with a new strength in him – the strength to prove his worth to Lidune and the Earthmother. The Grimtotem tauren were coming in fast, and their aim was getting better. Taking Ravenclaw in his clutches, Maev stood his ground, concentrating on the ground beneath his feet.

"Stoneskin!" he proclaimed.

From the earth there erupted another corrupt totem. While it remained active, his body was encased in rock, protecting him from the oncoming bullets.

"He's casting that magic stuff again, sir!" yelled one of the tauren to his leader. "What should we do?"

"Same thing we do every time there's a bounty on some sort of magician… Cut it to ribbons!"

When they had gotten close enough, the tauren bounty hunters dismounted their kodo beasts and took out their swords and maces. Maev was aware of their plans, and so emerged from his stony armor, shattering the totem in the process. Once again he focused his raw, primal energy on the earth below, slamming the ground with Ravenclaw.

"Earthbind!"

When Ravenclaw made impact, another totem arose from the earth. This time the tauren had great difficulty moving toward the night elf, for the earth itself attempted to prevent their approach. And finally, using all the remaining strength in his body, Maev summoned one final totem – the strength of the earth. Upon summoning this final totem, Maev could feel his body coming stronger. Taking Ravenclaw in hand he charged at the fear-stricken bounty hunters, crushing and slamming each of them simultaneously. When the totem that held them down finally shattered, the remaining tauren made a run for their kodo beasts.

"Make a run for it! He has grown too strong!"

"I don't think you will be going anywhere…"

Placing Ravenclaw to his side, Maev focused his last shred of energy to conjure a bolt of lightning, of which he still remembered and found the power to do after all these years. He managed to strike one of the kodo beasts, causing the other creatures to go into a panicking frenzy. This turn of events literally crushed the remaining tauren underneath the hooves of their pets, ending the Grimtotem bounty hunters for good. At least, that is what Maev thought.

From behind him the tauren with the scarred face pulled out a dagger. But before he could backstab Maev, the bounty hunter was stricken with an incredibly powerful pain throughout his body. Eventually, after Maev saw him crying out in pain, the tauren died. Exhausted from the ordeal he had to endure, Maev could barely walk to safety. That is when he witnessed his savior appearing before his very eyes.

"Greetings, Maev Nightwatcher…" spoke a disembodied voice.

From the shadows of a nearby tree there came a figure cloaked in a white and gold robe. He relieved himself of the hood that hid his face, revealing the features of a blood elf. Maev, having been raised by tauren, had never seen one similar to himself. But this stranger was different, his skin pallid and his eyes had an eerie green glow. His hair was black and long, and his gloves were stained with blood. He looked Maev in the eyes, and the night elf knew there was something amiss.

"You are not my kind…" he said to the blood elf. "My father told me about your people… Once like me, but now addicted to magics beyond the natural realm. Why have you come?"

"I heard of your story amongst the stars, young one," he said, walking closer to Maev, "Exiled and hunted by those you loved, and banished from the practices of nature... I know your tale all too well. It was only a matter of finding you."

Maev could smell the stench of death on this one. Though it was not so much a smell as it was a sense of feeling from his soul, a trait Maev picked up from living among the tauren for so long. It was as if this blood elf had been the death of many, and Maev did not like it at all.

"Leave me, for I must now look for another teacher. I still have three more elements to master."

"If I may be allowed to introduce myself, I am called Dun'athil. I have journeyed far and wide to meet you, Maev Nightwatcher. Do not let me be the source of your hate as was so many toward you."

"Very well, Dun'athil… Tell me, why did you seek me?"

"To teach you what it means to be forsaken, and to use that power as your own. You see, I too am an exile amongst my kind. Though not banished by nature, I am forsaken of the Light, and now I wish to teach you how I managed to control that very power which has sent you into obscurity. All I ask is for your complete allegiance to my cause…"

"Forget it, blood elf!" exclaimed Maev. "I have my own destiny to fulfill, and you reek of death! I can smell the blood of the innocent on your supposedly wondrous robes, and I want no part in that!"

"Very well, young Maev… If I cannot have you, then no one will!"

An aura of shadow pulsed from Dun'athil, giving Maev a sense of dread.

"I will blast your mind into oblivion!"

"I don't think so!" rang out a voice from behind Dun'athil.

It was an orc, and he had leaped from a nearby cliff, landing in between the two elves. He wore crimson plate armor and wielded a spiked axe and shield. He charged at Dun'athil, his eyes burning with fire – literally. His axe was also ablaze with fire, swinging madly at the blood elf. Dun'athil leaped out of the way, backing up toward the shadow of the tree from which he had appeared.

"You may have the high ground in melee, but in the shadows I reign!" he exclaimed.

"Not so fast!" barked the orc.

Stretching his axe outward, he summoned a totem. This totem, unlike that of the earth, bore a ring of fire. It fired volley after volley of fireballs at Dun'athil, although they somehow went right through the blood elf. It was as if he had faded as he stepped into the shadow of the tree. In fact, he continued to fade the longer he stood within its shade.

"This is not over, Maev Nightwatcher! You will be mine, just you wait!"

Finally Dun'athil vanished completely, and the totem the orc had summoned disappeared as well. Maev was stricken with awe at the sheer power that the orc possessed, and knew immediately upon seeing the totem that he was a shaman.

"I assume you are the one called Maev Nightwatcher?" asked the orc.

"That I am…"

"Lok'tar, friend. I am the one called Kruthal, shaman of fire. I have journeyed from the east, a land called Durotar, to seek and train you further in the arts of the shaman!"


	6. Chapter 6 Fury of the Flame

**Pariah**

**Chapter 6 Fury of the Flame**

"So you have come to teach me in the ways of fire?" asked Maev.

"That is right, young one," answered Kruthal. "I have seen from the fires of my camp in Durotar that you have come to learn the strength of the earth. I now come to teach you in the fury of the flame…"

Maev could see the fire in Kruthal's eyes, yearning for battle.

"I will do my best to be as good of a student as I was with Lidune."

"Oh, I will not be the one teaching you at first. There is someone I wish for you to meet before I may properly teach you in the beautifully destructive nature of the flame. Come, young Maev… Durotar awaits you."

And so the fire shaman called Kruthal and Maev made the trek to Durotar, land of the red sands and home to the Horde's capital city, Orgrimmar. As they drew closer to Durotar, Maev noticed the ground beneath him begin to change from tough earth to scarlet sand. It had been fifty years since Maev had stepped foot outside of the Barrens, and he certainly never thought of going to Durotar. Doubt clouded his thoughts as they began to walk up a mountain as red as the sand itself. Its cliffs and slopes were steep and the trail was narrow, giving the night elf a sense of fear of falling. Before they had reached the summit, Kruthal halted at the entrance to a small cave. They must have been over a dozen thousand feet from the ground by the time they had reached the cave.

"I must warn you, who you are about to meet can be very… antagonistic…" said Kruthal to Maev. "If you can help it, don't let his dry sense of humor get the best of you…"

When they had entered the cave, Maev could see a small camp fire. Sitting beside it with his legs crossed was a figure armored from head to toe. The armor was black, horned, and engraved with many runes. These runes glowed in the presence of the fire, revealing the runes to be symbols of ravens. They reminded Maev of his father, and so looked back to Ravenclaw with memories of the past haunting his mind.

"What is it that vexes your mind, youngling?" spoke the figure in a low, menacing voice. "Could it be you long for the love of others? Or are you just a wimp who needs a hug?"

Maev could not believe the harshness of the stranger's words. The kaldorei was ready to crush his head under the weight of Ravenclaw, but Kruthal put a hand to Maev's chest, a gesture that told Maev to hold back.

"I told you he has a dry sense of humor…" said Kruthal in a whisper. "Try not to let your pride get the better of you."

"Either way, it matters not to me…" said the stranger again. "I told you I would not train this low-life shaman! I may trust in you, old friend, but I still care not for those who manipulate the aspects of nature to their will!"

"What is your issue with shamans?" questioned Maev. "And who are you to judge the way we use our powers? You most likely despise me especially because I am a kaldorei!"

"I am Jarod Shadowsong… I am one of the few Ranger Lords that still exist in this world… I flow with the tides of nature, not bend it to what I see fit! And for the record, youngling, I too am a kaldorei!"

The one called Jarod removed his horned helm, revealing the face of a very pallid kaldorei. His hair was sea green in color, but instead of long and elegant, it was short and spiked in the front. His left ear was decorated in jagged piercings and wore a spiked collar around his neck. A scar lay across his right eye, a mark of his experience in combat. Needless to say, he was nothing like anyone Maev had met before.

"I have only heard of the Ranger Lords in tales told to me by the village elders…" said Maev. "They were the most cunning and powerful of their profession… the profession of the hunt. How is it that a Ranger Lord like you ended up in a place such as this?"

"It is a long tale dating back to over ten thousand years ago. To make such a story into a simple conversation is not becoming of me… And I do not intend to reveal it to the likes of you!"

"Calm yourself, old friend," spoke Kruthal to Jarod. "This one may be the key to solving the greatest paradox of our time!"

"Very well…" grunted Jarod. "I will teach the youngling… But he had better be what you claim him to be!"

Despite Maev's confusion, one thing was for certain – he was interested as to what a kaldorei Ranger Lord could teach him. Maev knelt down before the fire, but more so to Jarod, putting his hands down as well.

"I am ready for your teachings, Jarod."

"I am sure you are…" said Jarod to Maev. "Or at least, that is what you say. You have never seen teaching methods such as mine, and you never will after I have taught you my art of combat!"

Maev had to act fast, quickly parrying a blow from a massive, azure sword that Jarod attempted to strike him with. Ravenclaw also adding shielding from another azure sword that appeared in Jarod's other hand. Maev pushed the two huge blades off Ravenclaw by ramming into Jarod, who in turn took his weapons from the parry and leaped backwards in the air. He landed on his feet, standing tall and his eyes showing a tint of chaos.

"I see you have great reflexes for having an overbearing totem on your shoulders!" exclaimed Jarod. "Who carved that pathetic, oversized walking stick of yours? Was it that foster father of yours… You know… the one that could not even save both his sons!"

"Silence yourself before I wipe that mouth of yours clean off your face!"

"What are you waiting for, youngling? If you want to hurt me, then hurt me!"

Maev took Ravenclaw in hand, charging at Jarod in a blind rage.

"I will teach you about speaking of my father like that!"

As Maev swung at the Jarod, the Ranger Lord once again jumped into the air, making three flips before he landed at the cave's entrance. He faced Maev, the chaotic, feral nature of his eyes growing ever greater.

"So you like to hang on your emotions, do you? You like to use them as a weapon against your enemies… I tell you now, you know nothing of passion! You know nothing of sorrow! And from the looks of it, you have never felt real rage before!"

"Shut up so I can hit you!" exclaimed Maev.

"How unfortunate…" Jarod muttered under his breath. "You also do not listen very well. Oh well! This is where I get to have some real fun!"

Jarod then slid both swords against each other, emitting a high pitched wail that could have deafened a person of weaker constitution. Maev felt a slight shiver down his spine, and Kruthal of course felt nothing. When the wailing had ceased, Jarod threw his large swords into the air. That was when Maev felt an unusual aura coming from the swords themselves – an aura not of this world. Jarod laughed at Maev's bewilderment.

"I have lived for many millennia, and before settling here I have ventured many lands. One day I came across an infamous goblin swordsman in a place known as the Undermine. His name was Latro, but I prefer to call him wolf chow at this point. These two swords once belonged to him, having made dealings with only the most wanted Ethereals in the universe. They are Latro's dancing and shifting swords, of whom I call Anathema and Malediction, and I believe it to be the time for you to get to know them better!"

Anathema, the blade to Jarod's left, pointed itself at Maev and came at him with lightning speed. Maev blocked the attack with Ravenclaw, deflecting the attack and sending Anathema into the ceiling of the cave. Malediction, the sword to Jarod's right, began to spiral out of control and sent itself careening in Maev's direction. Just as the shaman was about to block that attack as well, Malediction vanished just before it made contact with Ravenclaw. While struck with confusion as to where it could have gone, Maev was also struck from behind by Malediction, from where it had reappeared. As Maev lay on the ground with a large wound in his back, Jarod laughed sadistically.

"Do not underestimate my strength, of which has allowed me to live as long as I have! I have fought the most powerful of demons, witnessed the death of countless comrades, and worst of all, I could not even save my darling little sister! I have said this before… You known nothing of sorrow, and more importantly, you know nothing of the ire within!"

"I will… show you… sorrow…" said Maev has he got back on his feet. "I will show you… ire…"

Maev slammed Ravenclaw into the ground, putting his right hand onto the ground, feeling the earth beneath him.

"Earth… Give me strength!"

From the ground beside Maev a corrupt totem erupted from the ground, its fel energies felt by both Kruthal and Jarod. Like before, Jarod laughed.

"You dare to use the power of a fel totem?!" exclaimed Jarod. "You make me sick! Now I have a personal reason to beat you into the dust! Anathema! Malediction! It is time for a three on one brawl!"

Before Maev could even guess what Jarod meant, Anathema pulled itself from the ceiling while Malediction floated nearby the Ranger Lord. Anathema plummeted over Maev's head while Malediction charged straight in his direction once again. Jarod then pulled two daggers from his side, running alongside Malediction. Maev knew not what to do, using all of his strength from the totem into swinging Ravenclaw in a full vertical arc, aiming to hit Anathema first. Before he struck Anathema it vanished, and when he slammed Ravenclaw before himself Jarod and Malediction were parried. Unlike Malediction, however, which stuck itself into Ravenclaw, Jarod kept on hailing the large totem with his daggers. Finally Jarod saw how Maev was resisting his blows, sending a kick that shattered the corrupt earth totem that lay no more than five feet away from him. Without that burst of strength to stand his ground, Maev was pushed back ten feet with a single shove of Jarod's hands.

"Not much without your pathetic totems, now are you?"

Then Anathema reappeared behind Maev, but he would not fall for the same trick twice. He used Ravenclaw to deflect the sword's attack, leaving both blades stuck into its hard wooden surface. But Maev was now vulnerable to Jarod, who charged when he saw his opportunity. Jarod cut Maev's chest with both his daggers, weakening the shaman to the point where he could not stand. Maev dropped to his knees, in pain from the blows he had received.

"Your father never loved you! He only used you as a way to fill the void in his heart. He loved his real son more than he could ever love you! You father was a fool to take in such a weak, pitiful outcast such as yourself… You are not even worth my time. Anathema! Malediction! Disengage…"

At that moment Anathema and Malediction vanished from Ravenclaw. This time, however, they did not materialize to continue the fight. Jarod turned his back to Maev, beginning to walk away, out of the cave.

"Maybe your so called 'father' will find another useless son to take under his wing… Hopefully he will not choose one as pathetic and useless as you!"

"You are wrong…" spoke Maev, crying not from the pain, but the piercing of Jarod's words. "My father… loved me more… than anything in the world… He fought to protect me… He fought for my honor… He fought for… my life!"

A pulse a raw energy burst from Maev's being and Jarod could sense it. Jarod turned to face Maev, who was in shock to find that a fiery aura had appeared around the young shaman. Maev stood to meet Jarod's surprised eyes with eyes of pure ire.

"From what I can understand… you let your comrades down… You could not even save your own sister! You only run from your past… But I tell you now… I am confronting my own! One day I will see my father again, triumphant against the tribulations that the Earthmother has laid down before me! He will embrace me with open arms, and nothing you say… nothing you do will ever change that!"

After a moment's pause, Jarod began to slowly clap his hands. Kruthal, who had been an audience to all that transpired, also began to clap. Maev did not understand at first, but after becoming aware of the aura he had created, he understood. He could feel the rage coursing through his veins, as if he was once again empowered by the natural forces around him. He felt somewhat whole again.

"Congratulations, Maev Nightwatcher," said Jarod, the chaos in his eyes now fading. "My lesson has taught you well what true anger is! And look at yourself – you just may have regained some of the power the Earthmother had originally taken away! I could not be more proud!"

"I have to hand it to you, my young pupil," spoke Kruthal, now standing right next to Maev. "I thought Jarod's 'unusual' methods would teach you very little, but it seems you have learned more from him then any other kaldorei could teach you. Now it is time to heal those wounds of yours and begin your training tomorrow in the art of fire!"

Relieved that the ordeal against Jarod Shadowsong was finally over, Maev fell to the ground, asleep. He fell to sleep with a smile, feeling as though he has proven himself to his father, wherever he may be…


End file.
